The invention relates to a device for handling stone samples which are typically elongated cylindrical stone rods which are to be split sawn in their longitudinal direction.
The invention further relates to a method of handling stone samples.
In the mining industry, there is a need to examine the mineral resources in the soil. The examination can be done by drilling holes in the rock with a sample drill that comprises a holesaw. This way, a sample that is an elongated cylindrical stone rod is detached from the rock. This sample drilling is also called rotary drilling and core drilling, and the rod-like sample is also called a drill core. The sample rod can be sawed across longitudinally so that more of the surface to be examined is revealed. A stone saw can be used to saw the sample. Typically stone saws comprise a vertical circular saw blade, against which the sample rod is fed horizontally by means of a feeding device. However, the rock may be fragmented and loose, whereby the detached stone samples may also be fragmented and may thereby comprise a plurality of smaller stone pieces. Handling of such small stone pieces is difficult and time consuming. Thus, the present procedures for handling the stone samples are found to comprise some disadvantages.